House Oversight Ranking Member Says FCC Republicans are Obstrucinting Inquiry

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) accused Republicans on the Federal Communications Commission of obstructing an investigation into 2015’s network neutrality debate. Rep Cummings said that commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O’Rielly have not provided documents as part of an investigation into the process leading up to the net neutrality rules the commission approved last February.

“I am writing to request an explanation for your refusal to provide any documents in response to a request from the Oversight Committee more than a year ago relating to the rulemaking process for the Open Internet Order, which was released publicly on March 12, 2015,” Rep Cummings said in the letter. "Your refusal to cooperate with the Committee’s request is unacceptable, it obstructs our investigation, and it prevents the Committee from having a complete or accurate understanding of the circumstances surrounding this rulemaking," he said. He asked that by Sept 16 the two commissioners lay out the steps they have taken to respond to the committee’s request and to say when their offices will fulfill the request.